Kengtung State

Kengtung (Burmese: ကျိုင်းတုံ; Shan: ၵဵင်းတုင်; Northern Thai: ᨩ᩠ᨿᨦᨲᩩᨦ), also known as Chiang Tung, Moeng Khün (Tai Khün: ᨾᩮ᩠ᨦᩨᨡ᩠ᨶᩨ) or Menggen (Chinese: 孟艮府), was a Shan state which existed from 1243 to 1895. The capital of the state was Kengtung (then known as "Tai Khuen City" 歹掯城), located in a valley in the center of the Daen Lao Range.

Kengtung was the largest of the states in present-day Shan State and ranked first in the order of precedence at the time of the invasion of the Shan States by the British Empire. It was also the easternmost of the Southern Shan States, lying almost entirely east of the Salween and stretching eastwards to the Mekong. It was separated from the northern Shan state of Manglon by the Hka River.

Most of the early history of Kengtung is made up of myths and legends. At the time of British rule in Burma the Tai Yai people were the majority of the population in Kengtung state with other groups such as Akha and Lahu, forming sizeable communities. According to Wa tradition, in the distant past the territory had belonged to the Wa people who were displaced around 1229 and were later defeated by King Mangrai. The Wa now form a minority of only about 10% in Kengtung State despite having been —according to their myths— the original inhabitants.